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Afternoon roundup

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* Here you go…

Tribune | Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson preaches unity, importance of Chicago to Illinois during Springfield visit:

* Crain’s | Brandon Johnson goes to Springfield with a few big asks — and a big message: Johnson said his model for the city is what Democrats have achieved statewide with the party controlling both houses of the General Assembly and J.B. Pritzker occupying the governor’s mansion: improved funding for schools, strong labor and abortion-rights protections, and simultaneously an improvement in the state’s credit rating. “Our values have to be in line with our investments,” he said, and in Illinois that has meant achieving progressive policies that are a national example.

* Block Club | Why Did Chicago’s Latino Voters Split On Election Day? ‘The Biggest Lesson Is Outreach,’ Experts Say: Experts point to lack of voter outreach by campaigns and diverse ideologies as reasons why Chicago’s 14 Latino-majority wards split support for Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson and challenger Paul Vallas.

* WTTW | From Leopold and Loeb to Gacy: Cicero Facility Houses Millions of Criminal Records: WTTW News got an exclusive look inside the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s massive records storage facility, located in Cicero. The warehouse just south of Roosevelt Road might not look like much at first glance. But take a peek inside and you’re transported to a world of criminals, court cases and the dark side of Cook County history.

* WTTW | End of the Burke Era: A 54-year Political Reign at City Hall Comes to a Close: Burke’s career will come to an end under the shadow of a 14-count indictment alleging the powerful politician repeatedly — and brazenly — used his elected office to force those doing business with the city to hire his private law firm. Burke has pleaded not guilty, and used millions of dollars of stockpiled campaign cash to fund his defense.

* NPR Illinois | Springfield inauguration set for May 5: Springfield’s newly elected mayor will officially take office early next month. Misty Buscher will be inaugurated on Friday May 5. […] Along with the new mayor, other city officials, including Clerk Frank Lesko and new City Treasurer Colleen Redpath Feger, will be sworn in.

* WSIL | Construction on Southern Illinois Multimodal Station to begin in June: A transportation hub that will serve Illlinois’ southernmost 30 counties is set to begin construction this summer in Jackson County. The city of Carbondale began demolishing the old Carbondale Cycle building on Illinois Avenue & Walnut Street over the weekend. On Tuesday, crews were still cleaning the debris at the site.

* Block Club | ChiFresh Kitchen, Co-Op That Hires Formerly Incarcerated People To Cook For Those In Need, Finds A New Home In Greater Grand Crossing: “Our team is committed to hiring formerly incarcerated folks” and locals, Kerr said. The company could grow to “between 30 and 40, even up to 50 people in that facility once we get to that 5,000-meal mark.” All employees are eligible for an ownership stake in ChiFresh Kitchen after 18 months on the job, after which they can start paying toward a $2,000 membership share. Members serve on the co-op’s board, have a vote in business decisions and can receive dividends if the company is profitable, Kerr said.

* Crain’s | Ad calls on Carl Icahn to join fight against McDonald’s ‘blatant racism’: Media entrepreneur Byron Allen took out an ad in the Chicago Tribune today soliciting support from activist investor Carl Icahn in his fight against “blatant racism” at McDonald’s. The Chicago-based hamburger chain has been under pressure from both men in recent years via lawsuits and shareholder meetings. Icahn pushed McDonald’s last year to wean off its dependence on meat products, and Allen has called for CEO Chris Kempczinski’s ousting and filed a discrimination lawsuit against the company.

* Block Club | Promontory Point Is Now A Chicago Landmark, A Major Victory For Activists Who Fought For Decades: Landmark status will ensure “an extra step of oversight” toward preserving the Point’s iconic limestone steps as city and federal agencies reinforce Chicago’s shoreline, supporters say. The beloved gathering space was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

* CNN | Anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launches 2024 presidential bid: His sister Kathleen served as the lieutenant governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. His brother Joseph was a congressman from Massachusetts from 1987 to 1999. And more recently, his brother Chris Kennedy was an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Illinois in 2018.

posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 2:32 pm

Comments

Interesting story on the Chicago criminal records. That would certainly be a eerie place to go and dig through records. Johnson seems like he is moving at least in a positive direction. I am not from Chicago but I do think he is correct on everyone can win. The only negative for me is personal is stance on abortion. I just don’t see that as a winning but probably for most he hits all the pluses. Let him get going maybe things can improve hopefully violence.

Comment by clec dcn Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 2:56 pm